Just Another Competition
by Digibear
Summary: Okay. That did it. There was no way any Echizen would ever lose a competition. He was going to win this, darn it, and he was going to blow everyone else out of the water. Whether Sakuno liked it or not.


Disclaimer: I do not own _Prince of Tennis._

Note: So since my story _Stuttering Problem_ got a lot of great feedback (thank you all, by the way!), I've decided to write more _Prince of Tennis_ stories for you guys! I'm definitely working on a sequel to _Stuttering Problem_, so be sure to check it out when it comes out! This story will be a multi-chapter story which I hope you will find entertaining and enjoyable!

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><p>Just Another Competition<p>

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><p>It was one early afternoon when the regulars were getting ready for practice. The sun outside gleamed so brightly that streams of light shot through the windows, casting blocks of bright yellow on the ground. Outside, the trees swayed in the breeze while birds flew to-and-fro between them. The school grounds looked as common as they've always been, with scattered students walking around or sitting under the shade of a huge tree. Everything was so peaceful outside, contrasting with what was going on inside the boys' locker room…<p>

"Hoi, hoi! Happy Annicursary, Ochibi—"

"—It's Anni_ver_sary, you idiot!"

"For once you know something, prickle-head!"

"I'll put something prickly in your—"

"Congratulations, Echizen!"

"Oi, Ryoma! Happy Anniversary!"

"Happy 30th Day, Echizen."

"Saa. Congratulations, Echizen."

Shouts and hollers continued to come from the other regulars minus Tezuka—he figured a nod was enough for Ryoma to understand. Needless to say, it was Ryoma's one month anniversary with Sakuno Ryuzaki, his own coach's granddaughter. It had taken the regulars and Tomoka _months_ to finally get them to realize their affections for one another, and after Echizen's confession and Sakuno's agreeing to go out with him, everyone just let them alone to themselves.

To be honest, their relationship was pretty awkward.

Only after school ended did they really talk to each other. He would walk her home (Sakuno thought it was mostly because it was on the way to his house) and sometimes they would stop to get some ice cream. Before school started, she would wait on the steps of her porch for him to come by and pick her up on the way to school. They would talk about a few things, but nothing really interesting. During school, they only talked or interacted if they bumped into each other in the hallways or at lunch. Despite all of this, the thing that annoyed the regulars and Sakuno's friend the most happened during tennis matches.

Of course, Sakuno would watch and cheer her boyfriend on during his matches. Now that she was actually going out with him, she could stand up and cheer much louder than she had been before. No more separation by fences, thank goodness! But, after his match, Ryoma had this thing of annoying the heck out of anyone who would witness it. He would turn to Sakuno in the stands—already having everyone's attention—linger his gaze for a couple seconds… only to give her a small nod.

Every single time, almost everyone would collapse out of sheer astonishment and embarrassment. Syusuke would cough out a chuckle, and Tezuka would simply shake his head.

After everyone said their congratulations to Ryoma, who just whispered a small 'thank you' in return, Inui, Takashi, and Kaidoh set out for practice early. Only Tezuka, Syusuke, Oishi, Ryoma, Eiji, and Momoshiro were left in the locker room.

Sensing that the coast was good enough to be clear, Eiji and Momoshiro glanced at each other and sharply nodded their heads. They had something planned, and it was going to be the mother of… well, all things they had ever planned. Eiji grabbed his racquet that was leaning against a locker before jumping onto the bench Ryoma was sitting on. He sat down next to him while Momoshiro sat on the other side. Ryoma was putting on his socks at the moment, so Eiji and Momshiro spoke over his bent back.

"Hey, Eiji, did you hear about the different competitions the school was putting out this year?"

The redhead nodded unnecessarily and chimed in, "Yeah, I did! There's the _Hottest Guy and Girl, Smartest Guy and Girl_—oh! There's the… uhh… Momo, what's that competition called, again?"

Happy to answer his question, Momo slyly replied, "Oh, the _Cutest Couple Competition_?"

"Yeah, that one!"

Glancing quickly in Ryoma's direction, Momo did notice a slight twitch of his left ear.

He was listening.

Going on without further ado, Momo continued, "I believe that one's the most important one because there's a lot of competition for that one. Oi, Oishi!"

Hearing his name, the said regular peeked his head out from behind one of the rows of lockers. Answering, he yelled, "Yes, Momo?"

Momo turned around to yell back, "Do you know the rules for the _Cutest Couple Competition_?"

Oishi gave his friend a face, but seeing the sly smirk gracing his features, Oishi quickly turned to Ryoma who was now getting his tennis shoes in his locker. He replied as clearly as he could so that he knew Ryoma could hear. He really did know the rules, so he cited them without hesitating, "Ahh, yeah. Simple; the couple can't break up once and get back together—they have to stay together for the full duration of school. Secondly… Well, that's the only real rule. Everyone nominates a couple they want to win at the end of year ceremony, and then the winner is voted on between the top five nominees. That goes for every category, though."

Eiji shouted back when his partner was finished, "Thank you, Oishi!" He added a wink and thumbs-up, which Oishi happily returned. Once he turned back, he saw Tezuka's hard stare on him. Widening his eyes, he gave a cheeky smile before grabbing his racquet and exiting the locker room.

After Oishi fled, Syusuke whispered to Tezuka, "I think—"

"—No."

That's when one team captain made his way out of the locker room.

Back to Momo and Eiji, they finally got up and went to their lockers. Reaching for their shoes, they made a small conversation.

"So, do you think Echizen and Sakuno-chan could win?"

"I don't think so, dude. I bet they haven't even kissed yet."

With this, Ryoma felt a little vein pop on his head. That assumption kinda hurt, but mostly because they really haven't kissed yet. They were on the other side of the lockers, so Ryoma didn't have to pretend to not listen. Fixing his racquet strings, he listened intently to his "friends" making their jabs at him, accumulating more pent up anger within him with every second.

"Me neither. Aww, I bet Sakuno would love to win that competition, nya!"

"I think so, too! It's kinda tragic, though."

"Tragic? How come, Momo?"

"Well, come to think of it, I don't really see Echizen do anything affectionate towards her."

_Affectionate? How does Momo even know what that means? _Ryoma thought silently to himself as he gripped the strings of his racquet a little too tightly. Everything they said was right, and that's what pissed him off the most. Even though they don't even spy on him all the time like they used to, they still figured out that he never really did anything nice to Sakuno! How in the world did they know? And besides, he didn't think Sakuno would want to win _that_ badly. She wasn't the type that bragged about stuff like that, and he half-applauded, half-regretted that she never bragged about his being her boyfriend. Any other girl would have… but that's one of the reasons why he chose her in the first place.

"Yeah, nya… I don't think they have a shot."

"Yup. There's a big chance they'd lose."

Okay. That did it. There was no way any Echizen would ever lose a competition. He was going to win this, darn it, and he was going to blow everyone else out of the water.

Whether Sakuno liked it or not.

Before Eiji and Momo picked up their racquets and headed out, they saw their little ochibi standing before them, his cap donning his head and his racquet slung over his shoulder.

Momo blinked a couple times while Eiji and just gulped.

Ryoma's glare gave them chills all the way down their spine, and before they could say anything to apologize, Ryoma suddenly spoke. He only said two words.

"Watch me."

Hearing his footsteps and a door slam, Eiji and Momo suddenly looked at each other with the biggest smile on their faces.

They did one humongous high five before racing out to the courts. However, that was when they heard the most evil voice they've ever heard.

Turning around, they stopped dead in their tracks. All they saw was the shadowy figure of Syusuke, Polaroid camera in hand. Eyes opened and piercing into their soul, Syusuke fired them a smile so wicked they thought they visited Hell.

Suddenly, the darkness fled and he was his usual self, smiling brightly with his eyes closed. He spoke lightly and held up his camera, "I think our little Echizen could use a little help, ne?"

Eiji and Momoshiro just blankly nodded their heads.

Syusuke smiled. "Great!"

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><p>In an empty classroom, Sakuno grabbed her bag before getting out of her desk. She had to copy all of the notes on the board before heading out to wait for Ryoma on the tennis courts. School was over, so everyone ran out of the classroom, leaving her behind in the dust. Walking out of the room, she sulked a little knowing that, even though it was their one month anniversary today, Ryoma was most likely not going to do anything. Just looking down at the ground with a forlorn expression on her face, she just reasoned that he was the type that didn't celebrate any other anniversary other than the annual one. That one wasn't going to be for awhile.<p>

If they even got that far.

Sakuno wouldn't mind that.

She made her way to the courts and waited under the "usual tree"—the tree that she always waited under when practice was still going on. She would make sure to wait there until practice ended so that Ryoma could walk her home. Sometimes, when practice ended relatively early, she would only have to stand there for a good twenty minutes. Other times she would just be working on her homework until Ryoma appeared in front of her, silent.

The sun was fairly bright today, and the grass swayed so lovely in the slight breeze. Sakuno had to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear to keep it from blowing into her face. She could see that practice was nearly over, so she just stood and waited this time. After ten minutes, she looked up and caught Ryoma's eye. Her boyfriend looked the most dashing when he was coated with sweat after practice or a match. He just looked so delicious. He just looked flat out yummy. He just…

Motioned for her to come over to him?

Wait, he usually got changed in the locker room before going out to the tree to meet her. Something was amiss… But she headed out to the courts anyway.

Her thought process was that maybe he needed her to do something for him, such as getting him a ponta or whatever. However, her thoughts flew out the window when he grabbed her by wrist, pulled her towards him, bent over her, and smashed his lips against hers. They looked like they were dancers who just finished their routine, with the girl lying on the boy's arms.

His lips were velvety soft, and the sweat made them even slicker. Sakuno's cheeks flared and her eyes magnified at his sudden act. However, his lips felt so good on hers that she shut her eyes and kissed him back with as much force as she could muster. She was leaning back in his arms, her braids touching the green ground of the court.

Everyone on the courts either gaped or shouted at the couple, with Eiji and Momo being the loudest. Tezuka already had the words "fifty laps!" on the tip of his tongue, but a ball whacked him on the side of the head. He immediately turned around to see who it was, but he only saw Syusuke smiling innocently at him.

_Damn you, Syusuke. Damn you._

Ryoma pulled back when Sakuno fidgeted, signaling that she needed some air. He looked down at her right in the eye, and with a smirk, he said, "Happy Anniversary, Sakuno."

Yup, they were going to win this stupid competition.

Whether Sakuno liked it or not.

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><p>To be continued...<p>

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><p>Note: Thanks for reading! Tell me what you think!<p> 


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